How cute is too cute? That’s the question for the Hello Kitty brand. The target audience is “pre-adolescent females,” and they think that Kitty, the female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow, is, like, totally adorable. But not everyone who’s paying for the products is so smitten with the kitten. About Sanrio The company behind Hello Kitty is SANRIO, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Hello Kitty, whose full name is Kitty White, is a fictional [...]

Swatch wants its watches to be perceived as hip, trendy and affordable. And they are—to some people. But we’re firmly in the realm of fashion here, and that means there’s no objective standard for judging if a watch is stylish or not stylish. Opinions are somewhat split, but since Swatch has become the most successful wristwatch of all time (according to the Swatch website), it’s hard to argue that its designers don’t have a good understanding of how to design [...]

The first day of Fall might technically hit on the 23rd this year, but you’d never know it from the temperatures here in Silicon Valley. Our typical Indian summer has hit in full force and is cranking up the heat – its 91 degrees outside as I write this! Nevertheless, the seasons are changing and so is fashion, and it looks like this season is all about boots. I have a confession to make: I’m a shoe fanatic. Not quite like [...]

For decision-makers in the entertainment industry, analyzing social media can be a fast, accurate and cost-effective approach to understanding viewer opinions and preferences. Writers, producers, actors and others associated with shows can use social media analysis to quickly find insights about what viewers think of specific elements of a show. For instance: Got a news show? What do viewers think of your lead anchor or your weather person? Got a kids show? What do kids and parents think about your mascot? Got [...]

Welcome back to work! I hope everyone enjoyed a fun and relaxing Labor Day weekend – I love a holiday weekend and that extra day off, but there is always something bittersweet about this one in particular: it means summer is officially over. I guess though, for many of you out there, if there’s any consolation, it could be found in the excitement of watching Fall’s hottest TV premieres.   I know I mention this a lot – I don’t have [...]

Labor Day may officially be a day to recognize the contributions of working people, but for those who get the long weekend off, it’s a time for trips, relaxing and partying. People who have to work, on the other hand, are a bit resentful, and rightly so—aren’t their employers supposed to give them the day off to say thank you? On the lighter side, the holiday is the annual occasion to observe or disregard the fashion injunction against wearing white [...]